.DS_Store

The .DS_Store files are preference files that contains certain attributes of a particular folder (like the Desktop).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.DS_Store

It's supposed to be hidden. Did you recently enable hidden files to be shown?

To hide hidden files, run the following command in Terminal.app:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE

You will then need to follow up with this for the changes to take effect:

killall Finder

It's meant to be there; it contains preference information used by Finder. However, it's supposed to be hidden. Can you think what you were doing immediately before it appeared? And are there any other files with leading dots showing anywhere?

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/11582/onyx

run all the maintainence and cleaning, reboot

use the Verify preferences, note any corrupt ones, find them and move to your desktop reboot

use tinkertool to turn on then off invisible files

http://www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html

My .75 cents (adjusted for inflation): Just use Tinkertool to make the file invisible again. No need to run all the maintenance and cleaning from Onyx, which may get you into real trouble.

WZZZ wrote:

My .75 cents (adjusted for inflation): Just use Tinkertool to make the file invisible again. No need to run all the maintenance and cleaning from Onyx, which may get you into real trouble.

The 25¢ your missing from your full dollar WZZZ, is the reason the invisible ds store file turned visible in the first place. This is usually a indicator that something isn't running right on a users system.

OnyX performs checks upon it's start, also the cleaning of caches, checking of plists that might uncover the source of the trouble or a sign of a failing drive. All the caches etc rebuild.

If you ever used OnyX then you would know it doesn't get the user into any "real trouble" and if you've been around Apple long enough I'm sure you've seen it hosted and recommneded on Apple's Downloads website for many years. The link redirects to the MacAppStore plug now, but this is the Google result shot.

It (OnyX) has become a highly praised utility among many users in the Mac community, in part due to its extensive language support and excellent help files.

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/OnyX

ds store wrote: run all the maintainence and cleaning, reboot

If you are seriously suggesting running all these (including ticking all the unticked boxes), this is completely insane. For the same purpose, Applejack, for that matter, would be much simpler and probably safer, since it's running from single user in Root, with no chance of open apps.

(Besides, it's plus .98 Cents, not .75.)

And just because it can be downloaded from Apple doesn't mean beans. I'm not saying it's garbage (far from it, it's a very good utility when used judiciously -- and this isn't exactly a judicious use of it), but there's a lot of garbage at Apple Downloads (or used to be. Now, I suppose, all the garbage is in the App store. Even MacKeeper used to be listed in Apple Downloads.) BTW, AFAIK -- and I'll wait to be corrected on this point -- it was never recommended on Apple Downloads, it was simply listed there along with everything else under the sun.

Perhaps your instructions might be more selective?

http://sourceforge.net/projects/applejack/

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10334620-263.html?tag=mfiredir

Continued

WZZZ wrote:

If you are seriously suggesting running all these (including ticking all the unticked boxes), this is completely insane.

Perhaps your instructions might be more selective?

We are working with limited feedback in this communication medium.

Applejack, for that matter, would be much simpler and probably safer, since it's running from single user in Root, with no chance of open apps.

No need to run all the maintenance and cleaning from Onyx, which may get you into real trouble.

You contradicted yourself.

Root user is signifcantly more dangerous and unfamilar for most users with no built in safeguards like OnyX has.

Applejack is excellent preventative step for the more advanced user who installs it on their perfectly working system.

Since Applejack runs from a script, it's almost impossible to do anything wrong, even if it does run in root. Installing Applejack and getting into single user, then following some prompts, is a no-brainer, which almost anyone can easily run without any danger.

I just think you shouldn't be telling "unsophisticated" users to run all cleaning and maintenance in Onyx. Maybe a relatively advanced user won't take you strictly at your word, apply some common sense, and run only the needed tasks. But that is not who you're talking to here. Nothing wrong with doing some of the lighter cache cleaning, but I have no idea why you would suggest, e.g. including rebuilding the launch services database for the OPs problem, which has to do with a DS_Store file becoming visible.

The next time you offer this suggestion, I think it would be helpful to specify just which cleaning and maintenance tasks should be run. That's my objection. Telling people to run them all, regardless of the situation, besides wasting a lot of time on unnecessary routines, can lead to some dangerous outcomes. And I think it is irresponsible of you to make that recommendation.

We are working with limited information in this communication medium.

Sorry, but that's completely lame and a lazy cop-out. You need to spend an extra minute and tell people how and what to run in cleaning and maintenance, if you are going to tell them to run Onyx.

Message was edited by: WZZZ

WZZZ wrote:

I think it is irresponsible of you to make that recommendation.

I think it's way more irresponsible of you to recommend users to mess around in Root user mode. 😀

OnyX is safe, plus cleaning out all the caches, rebuilding etc., gives the user who had a slow machine a snappy one again.

So what's wrong with that?

You got something against users having their machines run well?

Hey, if your income depends upon messed up users machines, I recommend you start fixing Windows machines, they have tons of work they need. 😁

blark wrote:

I already figured it out using the terminal command

Good for you. 😀

If your problem returns, it's likely a sign that something is wrong with your system.

You have OnyX, you have Tinkertool. You can do something, you can learn to maintain your own system.

Caution:

Apple doesn't expect AppleJack to be installed when you go to update to OS X Lion, something bad could happen if this root level software is not removed before upgrading.

Let's forget, for the moment, about AJ and running in Root. That wasn't really my point. I'm not interested in debating which is a better or safer maintenance/troubleshooting utility. I've already said Onyx is fine as long as it's used judiciously. I'm not interested in getting into some false side discussion about the dangers of running in Root and AJ.

My only concern is your recommendation to run all maintenance and cleaning in Onyx.

There are, count them, a total of FIFTY FIVE possible routines to run in maintenance and cleaning (adding up all the checkboxes plus Permissions repair, which is, for most situations, a big time waster, if ever there was one -- but not dangerous.)

One last time: if you are going to tell someone to use Onyx, then I insist you say which maintenance and cleaning routines to use, tailored to the specifics of their situation, instead of making this absurd one-size-fits-all recommendation, which is, I repeat, unnecessary, incredibly time wasting and may lead to some unpredictable, possibly dangerous outcomes.

What about that can't you understand?

Thank you for this response, I had recently changed something to make these files appear unknowingly and have fixed the problem thanks to your response. Thanks again!